"Just keep your head down, don't anything to make yourself known and maybe... Maybe people won't stare."
Clint snorted at Tony Stark advice on how to avoid getting people's attention; but that was easier said than done when all eyes were trained on him as he was in the same room as Tony Stark and Oliver Queen.
He was used to getting attention, Clint was one of the best marksmen S.H.I.E.L.D had ever employed, no one as of yet reached passed his highest target, new recruits of the agency would stare at him with awe, older agents would nod at him in respect or honour but since that fatal battle in New York were Loki got into his mind and he also destroyed the helicarrier, people have changed against him.
Instead of getting looks of awe and respect it was replaced by that of anger and betrayal.
So as Clint walked through the grey, white and glass building; he was reaching the IT department; he had his head down- maybe it would keep people from pointing at him and whispers of 'why is he still here?' reach his ears.
Then suddenly, Clint felt himself bump into someone; reacting instantly, Clint grabbed the person- throwing them up against the wall and held a knife to their throat.
His eyes hard, he then laid eyes on the culprit and then immediately lowered the knife.
The eyes looking back at him were innocent, scared, somewhat angry and feminine.
"God I'm sorry." Clint started but stopped as the girl held her hands for him to stop talking. "Are you okay?"
The blonde girl gave him a small smile before talking. "It's no problem, I'll be on edge to if I was surprised. I am fine,trust me- I've been through worse than having a knife at my throat."
Clint arched an eyebrow at her last statement but didn't asked about it as her body language told him she didn't want to share; he gave her a small smile. "I'm Agent Barton."
"Wait...Barton?" The girl... Woman replied, her eyes widened recognition; Clint waited for the look of hatred, fear or some other kind of emotion butnothing. No such emotion came from the girl. "Agent Barton of S.H.I.E.L.D? As in Hawkeye... Barton?"
"The one and only." Clint replied, smiling at her. "Uh, who... Who are you?"
"Me? I'm no one. Well, not no one I'm obviously someone," She responds lightly, noticing his expression and took a small breath. "Sorry. I tend to babble... A lot. Right! I'm Felicity, Felicity Smoak."
"Mr Queen's assistant, right?"
"Yep, that's me. Hi." Felicity replied, smiling at him. "Though I guess I am not important like you or Tony Stark or Oliver... though I think he's full of himself and all."
"Who are you referring too? Stark or Queen?"
"Would it be fair if I said both?" Felicity replied, giggling as Clint shook his head. "So... Agent Barton, what are you doing in the IT Department?"
"I came to clear my head," came the reply, then sighed. "I was getting to many looks upstairs."
"Because of what happened couple months ago?" Felicity asked, getting a small look from Clint. "When Mr Asgard tried to take over New York- God! My brain thinks of the worse things to say at times."
"What?"
"Sorry, my babbling again." Felicity replied honestly, giving him a small smile. "It will stop in three... two... One."
Clint chuckled as he placed a comforting hand on Felicity's shoulder but quickly removed it and followed her into the small glass 4 by 6 office room, that only had one desk, a whole lot of technical items that he knew some of but the rest were a mystery just like the short, blonde girl before him.
"I can't wait until I tell my uncle that I met a real life celebrity." Felicity squealed lightly, smiling brightly at him. "He'll be over the moon about it, he was at first cautious about me taking this job just fresh out of university but after a few years proving that I had this handled, he backed down."
"Who's your uncle?"
"Alfred Smoak." Felicity replied, her smile almost blinding. "He was the head of the IT department but retired."
"Ah, well sorry to break it to you Miss Smoak but I'm not all that popular." Clint replied, giving her a small smile. "He might tell you to stay away from me, I'm even thinking of telling you that."
"Because of what happened in New York?" Felicity asked, her tone wasn'taccusingat all. "You being under Loki's control?"
"Yeah... that."
Felicity shook her head. "No matter what, you are a hero just like the rest of them, the Avengers and even the Starling City's Arrow."
"No, thats where youre wrong. I'm no hero, Miss Smoak." Clint replied, sighing, as he turned to leave- maybe he should return to base to the shooting range and take the built up frustration on some targets. "Look, it was nice meeting you and all but I think I should go."
"Can you answer me one thing, first?" Felicity asked, stopping him with a strong grip, he paused as he turned to face her but wished he hadn't as her smile reminded him of the one that Phil Coulson gave to him when he was hisSO. "You saved lives that day didn't you? Yeah... You may have done bad but you weren't in control of yourself when those things happened and you regret them, don't you?"
Clint looked surprised by her question then nodded. "Yes, every day."
"Then you are a hero, whether you think so or not- to me, you are a hero." Felicity replied, smiling at him. "Let no one tell you otherwise, okay? If they do then I'll beat them up."
Clint smiled at that, she seemed sopositive, almost seemed naive but he knew otherwise; deep down this woman was wise beyond her years, Felicity could give the Captain a run for his money for giving the people courage in facing their greatest fears.
Maybe Felicity... from what she said before had been through a lot then just a random guy aiming a knife to her throat.
"Thanks, Miss Smoak." Clint replied, patting her hand that was still on top of his. "I guess I needed to hear that from someone other then the Captain."
"Not a problem." Felicity replied, smiling. "And call me Felicity, Miss Smoak seems too formal. If you ever need to talk, you know where I am."
"I guess I do, Felicity." Clint replied, he liked the way her name rolled around his tongue. "Seems like you're busy, so I want trouble you any further."
Felicity gave him a small smile. "Just doing my normal checks foranythingout of place, nothing of great importance." Came her reply, looking up from her tablet. "I may as well join you for the walk back to Mr Queen's office, as the meeting between him and Mr Stark is almost over."
"Right." Clint replied, literally couldn't believe for those few moments spending with the Felicity, that he forgotten all about Stark. "Stark."
If Tony found out a woman kept him company, he would not let it go.
"Maybe I'll see you around Starling City if you're not returning to your HQ or wherever your're stationed?" Felicity replied, as they both hoped on the elevator together.
"Well, we do have a few more meetings around Starling this week, but yeah, maybe I'll see you." Clint replied, smiling towards her as the doors opened on the 18th floor that was Oliver Queen's office and they both head into the office.
From the corner of his eyes, Clint watched as the short blonde girl walk away to her desk and started to type away on her computer unaware of what she really had done for him and he was okay with that.
He was always trained to be in the background, to be there as a backup when things got out of hand; but maybe... Just maybe for once in his life, he could learn to be the hero.
Clint smiled as he turned away from Queen's office, he didn't need to collect Stark as the playboy millionaire knew where Clint parked the car; he instead walked outside to call Natasha- she needed to hear what this blonde girl had done for him